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HOMILIES ARCHIVE
HOMILIES
Dear Audience,For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!
Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A)
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0First Reading
A reading from the Book of Prophet Isaiah (58:7-10)
Thus says the Lord: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and He will say: Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.
(P) The word of the Lord.(R) Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms of David (112:4-9)
(R) The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just. Well for the man who is gracious and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. (R)
He shall never be moved; the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance. An evil report he shall not fear; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. (R)
His heart steadfast; he shall not fear. Lavishly he gives to the poor; his justice shall endure forever; his horn shall be exalted in glory. (R)
Second Reading
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (2:1-5)
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified: I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom, but on the power of God.
(P) The word of the Lord.(R) Thanks be to God.
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (5:13-16)
Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."
(P) The Gospel of the Lord.(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Homily
At the close of a church service, a man approached the preacher and said, "I don't like the way you spoke about the cross. I think instead of focusing on the death of Jesus, it would be better if you preach Jesus, the moral teacher and the exemplar of virtue. The preacher replied, "If I presented Jesus in that way, would you be willing to follow Him faithfully?" "I certainly would," said the man without hesitation. "All right then," said the preacher, "Let's take the first step. Can you claim to be sinless as Jesus was? The man replied, "No. I cannot claim to be without sin. I am a sinner." "Then your first need is not a teacher or an example, but a saviour," said the preacher.
The greatest need of all human beings on earth is Jesus Christ, the Saviour. During his ministry, the Apostle Paul preached just that. He proclaimed Jesus not just as a historical figure, that is, Jesus of Nazareth who carried out a ministry of teaching, preaching, and performing miracles but as the resurrected, glorified "Christ" (Messiah) and Lord. He emphasized that all human beings are in desperate need of a saviour because all are born with sinful nature inherited from Adam, separating them from God and placing them under condemnation, and making salvation a necessity for everyone, Romans (3:23; 5:12-28). He taught that Jesus is the Saviour who forgives sins, redeems everyone, especially believers, from the power, guilt, shame, and dominion of sin, as well as the fear of death, and fulfils God's promise of salvation by reconciling them to God through the cross. Thus, Paul taught and preached predominantly the salvation through the crucified and risen Jesus Christ - rather than recounting His earthly ministry, miracles, or parables.
The question is why did Paul put so much emphasis on the crucified and resurrected Jesus? Paul was a devout Jewish Pharisee. As a Pharisee, he had access to elite, formal education in Jerusalem. He studied under Gamaliel, a renowned Pharisee and well-respected leader in the highest court of law, called Sanhedrin in ancient Israel. Paul's association with Gamaliel had not only provided him with a deep acquaintance with the world's philosophies, Jewish scriptures, rabbinic interpretations, traditions and laws but also elevated him to the highest rank of religious authorities. He possessed Roman citizenship by birth, a rare and valuable status in his time, granting access to influential social, political, religious, and philosophical circles and legal protections.
However, something had always been missing in the education which Paul had received as a Jew. Paul was among those people who viewed the early followers of Jesus as a threat to Judaism leading him to approve of, and to witness, Stephen's martyrdom. Despite his immense intellectual training, knowledge, and wisdom Paul could not fully grasp the supernatural courage, divine wisdom, and forgiving spirit that Stephen displayed while being killed for his faith in Jesus Christ. Rather than contemplating Stephen's bold preaching and unwavering confidence in the risen Christ, Paul went about persecuting, imprisoning, and authorizing the death of early believers. He wanted to put a stop to the spreading of the early Christian faith.
But then God did not let him continue in this way of life. On the road to Damascus to persecute the believers, Jesus confronted Saul, who later became Paul, in a blinding light, causing him to fall and face blindness for three days; and later, specifically commissioned him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, Acts (9:3-15), Galatians (1:15-16). Heeding Jesus' call, Paul travelled across the Roman Empire, preaching and establishing Christian communities in cities like Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, Galatia and even reaching Rome.
Today's second reading from his first letter to the Corinthians (2:1-5) gives us a glimpse of Paul's approach to ministry and his central message. He approached his ministry with deep humility, fear, and reverence. He emphasized that he "did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom," when he first "proclaimed the mystery of God." As a trained scholar, Paul could have used eloquent, persuasive and wise words, when addressing the Corinthians during his first encounter with them. But he did not. He openly admitted that he arrived in Corinth "in weakness, fear, and in much trembling", that he deliberately avoided impressive rhetoric, philosophical arguments, or human wisdom, to impress his listeners, focusing instead solely on the power of his Gospel message and that he was determined to do only two things:
To know and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
To preach the truth as simply as he could so their faith would be based on God's power and not on human wisdom.
What is the message for us?
We can go to church services expecting a homily or sermon with vividness, clarity, power, and eloquence. But that should not be used as a yardstick to measure good preaching. The impact of preaching depends not on flowery words or oratorical skills, but in the integrity of the preacher and the content of the message, relying entirely on the power of God's Word. God speaks to those who approach him with deep humility, profound reverence, and a desperate, passionate, and obedient longing for His Word, "the divine truth", like a deer "panting" or "thirsting" for water (Psalm 42:1).
All of us, as baptized Christians, are called to share the Gospel of Jesus through the Great Commission, Matthew (28:18-20), serving as witness to God's love. This mission is for all believers, not just a few select individuals. So, we should not be intimidated or depressed by our ordinariness, inadequacy and un-impressiveness. Most of us are quite ordinary. And yet we do not have to be afraid to tell the truth about the Gospel. The primary purpose of Christian life is not to construct perfect arguments and win intellectual debates but to share the gospel with family, friends, neighbours, and strangers, simply, lovingly, and through personal testimony, trusting the Holy Spirit to transform their hearts.
At Paul's time, the cross was "a stumbling block," for the Jews and "foolishness" for the Greeks, 1 Corinthians (1:23). Paul pointed out that the Jews were looking for miraculous signs and viewing a crucified person as cursed by God and the Greeks were valuing philosophical wisdom and considering death on the cross as shameful and absurd, Deuteronomy (21:22-23). So, there was the enormous temptation to keep the cross in the background. But Paul was so confident of his faith in the crucified Jesus that he made it the central fact of all his teaching although he also preached about Christian ethics, character, the nature of God the Father, the person of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Even today, Christians, including Catholics, feel uncomfortable with the cross, as it serves as a stark, often uncomfortable reminder of the immense pain, humiliation, and sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, challenging us to embrace a life of self-denial, daily commitment, and surrender of personal desires, comforts, ego, and agendas to follow Christ's path.
A cross or crucifix is far more than a symbol of faith and a tangible reminder of Christ's sacrificial love, victory over sin, evil, and death. It is a source of strength, courage, divine protection and peace. So, keeping or displaying a cross or a crucifix in our homes and workplaces is essential. We can also carry or wear a small cross or crucifix to remain connected to the Holy Eucharist and to God's presence throughout the day.
In times of trouble, fear, and despair, we can hold on to the cross or crucifix with faith, hope, trust, and love, finding strength in the belief that Jesus carries our burdens.
(P) Amen.God Bless You!
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